


hand like a torch

by CrypticVirago



Series: heart made of glass (mind of stone) [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Connor is the best bro, First Meeting, M/M, RK900 is Nines, let RK900 be soft pls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2018-09-18
Packaged: 2019-07-14 03:28:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16032041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrypticVirago/pseuds/CrypticVirago
Summary: Nines meets his new partner, the infamous Detective Gavin Reed, with a track record of hostility towards androids and a particular hatred for Connor. Nines has the same face, and that doesn't make Nines nervous at all.





	hand like a torch

_Your hand is like a torch each time you touch me_

_The look in your eyes pulls me apart_

 

* * *

 

 

Connor had told him about Detective Gavin Reed. His predecessor had both verbally told him and _showed_ him the discriminatory remarks made against Connor himself, and many other androids within the station, suspects or not. To him, the detective came off arrogant, hateful and unkind, with a predisposition for violence and the open threats towards his predecessor was worrying.

So all in all, Nines was nervous to meet his new partner, as assigned by Captain Fowler, and everyone else in the car knew it.

Nines was much different than his predecessor, and this was a series of realizations that had taken some time to discover. Connor had a unique personality, tended to be sarcastic and jovial and remained passively kind to those he cared about. He is sympathetic, with a sense of humor that it seems only Hank can truly appreciate. It seemed easy for him to be able to express what he was feeling, to smile and laugh and even cry, on occasion. To be truthful, all this made Nines grateful to have him as an elder brother.

It was much the opposite when it came to Nines. The most expressive thing about Nines was his LED, which, often times, was the only indicator that he felt anything. It was difficult for Nines to comprehend the full range of emotion that he felt upon obtaining deviancy thanks to dual influence from Connor and Markus. To make matters worse, the muscular of his face was ill-suited for emotional display, and as such, it was hard for him to smile as Connor did. (He had tried, of course, but Hank had said it looks more like a grimace than anything else).

Due to their differences in nature, it made it more imperative for others to pay attention to Nines’ body language, something Connor was especially good at. He was able to understand the fidgeting of Nines fingers as a display of his nervousness, and as such, quietly assured him by resting his hand on Nines’ shoulder.

So yes, Nines was nervous, and it was entirely due to the fact that this morning would be his first time meeting Detective Reed, assigned to be his partner by Captain Jeffrey Fowler. Having already noted the detective’s behavior towards androids was largely the reason.

Detective Reed was hostile towards androids and showers a particular hatred for Connor. Nines and Connor shared the same face. Would this promote hostility between them automatically? Nines had a sinking feeling that it would.

Nines had been given a standard issue police uniform upon receiving his employment statement from the City of Detroit. “You don’t have to wear it,” Connor had said, and it was true that the regulation of officers wearing standard issue uniforms was not upheld within the central station. In the month it had been since he had deviated and lived with his predecessor and the lieutenant, Nines hadn’t seen either of them wear uniforms, save for events when it was required (which had only happened once. While Nines recognized that he didn’t have to, he would rather wear the uniform given to him by his place of employment rather than the standard, stark clothing from Cyberlife.

It hadn’t gone unnoticed by Hank and Connor that he had been given a non-android uniform. Absent was the blue armband and triangle emblazed on the breast. In place of it, he had received the same dark blue button up that Hank had, with the Detroit police emblem at the shoulders. The only thing that remained in echo of the android uniforms was the fact that ‘RK900’ had been stitched onto the right side, but that was only because he had had no name whenever Connor and Hank had spoken with Fowler on his behalf. It had made Nines somewhat excited. The past month and a half had been hard for Nines, if only due to the fact that he felt wrong for not actively doing something.

He had become considerably less excited once he meets Gavin for the first time.

The detective has already been called into the Captain’s office and judging from the red of his face and the furious expression adorning it, he had already been notified of his new partner assignment. It was nearing eight in the morning, but the detective had already been there for a considerable amount of time, judging by the half-drank cup of coffee (cream, no sugar), and the already activated monitor on his desk.

Nines spends a good few seconds analyzing the detective’s desk as he goes by it. Right handed, medium risk of carpal tunnel, rests his feet on his desk top, and, judging by the wastebasket at the side of his desk, is an avid coffee drinker. The desk across from his is currently occupied by a young officer – _Chris Miller, September 30, 2009, 29 years old_ – that looks between him and Connor as they pass, clearly noticing the resemblance.

 _Chris is a good man,_ Connor tells him later. _He’s been nice to me since I started working here. He has a son that’s about the same age I am._ Nines makes a note of this. It could be useful information in the event he has to make small talk with the officer.

“You’ll be fine,” Connor assures, and judging by the way both Captain Fowler and Detective Reed look towards them, Nines suspects that their arrival has been noticed. “Gavin can be an asshole, but I have faith that he knows by now to pick his battles.” Nines recalls the memory of the confrontation between Connor and Gavin in the evidence locker downstairs and thinks that this is a rather safe assumption.

“What the _fuck_ is this shit?” is the first thing he hears Gavin say upon reaching the door. Nines’ hearing is very sensitive, but he wouldn’t need it to hear. He spits the words, flinging his arm is a dramatic gesture towards Nines. “It’s not _just_ a piece of plastic, but it’s Connor’s _lookalike_?”

Without having to think about it, he scans the detective, information automatically filtering into his feed. _Gavin Reed, October 7, 2002, 36 years old, 5.9 ft, 176 pounds (BMI 26.0), high blood pressure._ The blood pressure could be caused by an amalgamation of things, and Nines makes a note to continue to monitor it. Captain Jeffrey Fowler is the image of fatigue, and it’s quite obvious that this is the last thing he wants to be doing.

“It doesn’t matter what he looks like, Reed,” Fowler replies, and his voice is low in warning. “It was a benefit to the precinct when Connor started working here full time. Hell, I figured with your work load you’d be grateful.”

Gavin laughs at that, but it’s entirely humorless. “You’ve gotta be shittin’ me, Fowler.”

“ _Captain_ Fowler,” the captain corrects. “You’re on thin fucking ice as it is, Reed. Either you cooperate or you’re going to give me your badge.”

That seems to catch Gavin’s attention. He starts, and his face pales. “You can’t do that, F- Captain,” Gavin stammers. Nines notes his correction, using Fowler’s designation rather than his name. “You can’t just get rid of me and replace me with some plastic cop.”

“That’s not what I _want_ to do, Reed,” Captain Fowler sighs. “If your behavior doesn’t improve, you’re going to leave me no choice.” He glances towards Nines, and then he leans back in his chair. “It’s not gonna kill you to be a decent human being to someone for once in your life.”

“It’s not a _person_ –” Gavin begins, but Fowler cuts him off with a gruff, final “Get out of my office.”

There’s a long, tense moment of pure silence, where Gavin doesn’t move, and Captain Fowler is waiting for him to leave. It’s with a curse through gritted teeth that he storms out of the office, throwing open the glass door. The look that Nines receives is contemptuous, one that rakes over his entire form before settling on his face.

“Well look at this,” Gavin says, and he is no longer yelling. Rather, he’s speaking soft enough so that none of the bullpen can hear. Well, maybe with the exception of Connor. “I thought it was fuckin’ bad enough that we had one of you. Now we’ve got another one and it’s wanting to play dress up.”

Nines looks down at the uniform he was wearing, and then to the detective, who was wearing a dark t-shirt beneath a leather coat. “It’s nice to meet you as well, Detective Reed,” Nines says in place of a retort. He smiles and knows that it looks rather condescending. “My name is Nines, I’m an RK900 model. I look forward to working with you.”

(He hadn’t practiced that. Most certainly not. And even if he had, he wouldn’t have admitted it).

Gavin continues to hold a disgusted face, and Nines almost forgets to extend his hand. _A hand shake,_ Connor had explained. _Most humans greet each other like this, even if they can’t interface like androids._ Gavin regards the extended hand for a moment, but then he sneers.

“Don’t even think about touching me, you plastic fuck,” Gavin says, and he smacks Nines’ hand aside. “Don’t touch me.” With that, he cuts away, beelining towards his desk. He’s angry. He’s fuming. He hasn’t acknowledged Nines as his partner at all.

A message comes through from Connor, who had clearly been listening the entire time. _I think that went well._

 

**Author's Note:**

> Work title from "Don't touch me" by Alan Jackson


End file.
